Soap pressing and stamping machine



(No Model.) f 2 sheets-sheen 1.

- D.. C. lRALSTONl SOAP PRB'SSING AND'STAMPING MACHINE.

Nq. 511064. 'Patented Mar. `.27, 1894.

. IN2/EMU@ @im (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

` D. GRALSTON. SOAPV PRBSSING AND STAMPING M AGHINE, y 1\T0.-51'7,'0'64, Patented MarfZ?, 1894 WJIWESSES of@ W ml NATIQNAL umoGnArumu ooMPANv.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

DAVID C. RALSTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SOAP PRESSING AND STAMPING MACHIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,064, dated March 27, 1894.

Application filed January 13, 1894. Serial No.496.745. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, DAVI vC. RALSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Soap Pressing and Stamping Machines; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. l

My invention has for its object, an automatic power soap pressing and stamping machine of novel construction, and it consists of the combinations of devicesand appliances, their construction, arrangement and operation, as hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the die-box. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation: and Fig. 6 is a plan view of the diebox and of the feeding discharge track. Fig. 7 is a cross section of the wedges P and P2.

I carry out my-invention as followsz A represents any suitable support. v A is a table on said support, and A2 represents a metal body bolted to the table as shownv at C a. I

B denotes a driving shaft, which may be driven by any suitable means as bya belt B', the shaft being provided with loose and tight pulleys, as shown at 0..

B2 is a bearing upon which one end of the driving shaft is supported. The opposite end of the driving shaft is shown journaled upon standards B3 and B4.

I prefer that the driving shaft should be constructed with a cranked portion, as shown at B5, located between standards B3 and B4.

C denotes a perpendicular reciprocatory plunger to which a male die c is removably attached. The plunger is made reciprocatory in suitable grooves or guideways in the body A2 as indicated in the drawings at a2.

D represents an angular or bell-crank lever, by which motion is imparted to the plunger, said leverbeing fulcrumed as indicated at d, upon the body A2. The upper extremi ity of said lever is engaged with said plunger in any suitable manner, as for example, the plunger may be recessed, as indicated in Fig. 2 at c, to admit the upper end of said lever. It will thus be seen, that as the lever D is operated, the plunger will be vertically reciprocated. I do not limit myself solely to any particular means for operating said bellcrank lever, but as shown, the lower end of said lever, is connected by a rod D to the cranked portion B5 of the shaft. i

E is a die box, supported upon the table A', in which the soap is pressed. Within the die box is engaged a movable die F, which is made reciprocatory in the die box in any suitable manner. v

VAs shown, the die F is reciprocated in the die box in the following mannerz-G is a rotatalole shaft geared with the driving shaft as indicated at G as by suitable gears g and g. Upon the opposite end of the shaft G is a camshaped disk G2, rotated by said shaft. As shown, said disk is provided with a camshaped spur g2.

H, is an oscillatory bar or lever fulcrumed at one end as shown at h upon a portion of the supporting device A, the opposite end of said oscillatory bar, riding upon the periphery of the cam shaped disk G2. It will beseen'by f reference to Fig. l, especially, that when said disk is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow, the adjacent end of the bar H' will ride upon the periphery of the disk, and rise upon the spur g2 until the bar is free to drop when the spur has passed from in under said 'i bar. `'Ihe spur is so constructed as to permit a quick dropping of the bar H as the spur rides out from in under the free end of said bar. The die F is connected with a vertically movable shaft I, engaged with the oscillatory lever H in any suitable'manner. Thus for example, the bar I may be provided with collars 11 and fi', between which the bar H is passed. J is a stop block at the base of the bar l. By this-construction it will be apparent, that when the free end of the lever H rides upon the upperedge of the spur'g2, in the rotation of the disk G2, the rod I will be lifted carrying the die F upward. When the freeend of 'the bar H rides off from the spur g2 the bar I will quickly drop, carrying IOO the die F into its normal position. Thus, it will be obvious, the die F will be gradually raised, and for the sake of expediting the work, quickly dropped to the base of the die box E. I prefer that the cam-shaped spur should be so arranged with relation to the operation ofthe upper plunger that the lower die shall drop to the base of the die box before the upper dieor plunger has reached its upper point. This operation gives more time for feeding the unpressed bar into the die box.

K represents a spring actuated pressure bar, arranged to catch a bar of soap when the bar of soap is raised out of the die box after being pressed, to support the bar of soap while it is being driven out of the die box into the discharge track or conduit anda new bar of soap is coming into the die box to be pressed. As shown, the bar K is united bya connecting rod K to an oscillatory bar K2 fulcrumed on its lower end at 7c, a spring K3 connecting the upper end of the lever K2 to an adjacent portion of the body A2 as shown. The die F is lifted as hereinbefore described to raisea barof soap after it has been pressed, to discharge the soap from the die box. The bar of soap when lifted is engaged by the pressure bar K and held uplifted when the die F descends. Opposite the pressure bar K is a stationary bar K3, the bar of soap when lifted being retained between the bars K and K2, until crowded out by the entrance of a new bar into the die box, as hereinafter described. .The bar K2 is engaged with the upper edge of the die box.

L denotes a feed box, in which the unpressed soap is placed.

M represents a feeding conduit at the base of the feed box L, arranged to feed the unpressed soap in to the die box, and M is a discharge conduit or track on which the soap is discharged when pressed.

M2 is a feeding slide having a reciprocatory engagement in the feeding conduit or track M and arranged to force the unpressed soap from the base of the feed-box L, into the die box. -The slide M2 may be reciprocated in any suitable manner. Thus, as shown, said slideis engaged with an oscillatory lever N, which may be fulcrumed at its base n to the base of the support A.

Nis an operating bareccentrically engaged with the cam-disk G2 as shown at n. By this construction it will be seen that the feeding slide will be reciprocated by the rotation of the cam-disk G2.

It will be understood that the feeding bar or slide, M2, pushes the under-most bar in the feed box L in to the die box, and at the same time forces into the discharging slide or conduit M', the previously pressed bar of soap temporarily held between the bars K and K2, upon the descent of the die F. At the same time, while drivingin to the die box the undermost bar of soap in the feed box L, the driving slide barreceives and supports the column of bars in the feed box, until the backward stroke of the driving slide bar is completed, when said column falls, placing another bar in position in front ofthe driving slide, ready for thenext forward movement of the driving slide. For greater convenience in supplying the feed box L, it is preferably arched slightly as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 5.

For regulating the amount of pressure to be applied to the bars of soap, while being pressed between the dies c and F, I prefer to provide a wedge P and a screw P connected therewith to operate the wedge. In the die box E, is a loose wedge P2. Thescrew IJ', works through a suitable bracket a2. This arrangement of devices connected with the die box readily permits the die F to be raised or lowered as may be required to secure exactly the degree of pressure desired. In case greater adjustment is required than can be made by these wedges, solid plates may be placed under the bottom die above the wedge P2. Both the wedges and the plates are slotted to permit a free passage of the die stem or rod I.

To obvate any liability from abar of soap which is short in length, in not fully discharging the previously pressed bar, and thus allowing the upper die to cut off a portion of the pressed bar, and thus gumming up the dies with mashed soap, the discharge conduit M is caused to move at each stroke of the y die 0, a distance sufficient to be entirely out of reach ofthe descending. die c. This movement of the discharge conduit M may be effected as follows: At the upper end of the plunger C is pivotally connected a rod Q, said rod being also pivotally connected with an oscillatory bar Q fulcrumed upon a suitable support Q2 as shown at q, the bar Q being connected as shown at q with the discharge box or conduit M. It will be evident that when the plunger C descends the upper end of the bar Q will be forced laterally carrying the discharge box M proportionately therewith. In this manner the discharge box IOO IIO

will be moved backwardly and away from the descending diec and out of reach thereof. The discharge box returns promptly in to position to receive the next bar when the plunger C is lifted.

The operation of the device willnow be un derstood. The feed box L havingbeen filled with soap, power is applied to the driving shaft B, which in turn rotates the shaft G operating the lower die and also the upper die, together with the feeding slide, and other portions of the device. The undermost bar of soap is forced by the forward stroke of the feeding slide between the pressure bar K and the opposite bar K2, and the previously pressed bar of soap is discharged thereby upon the discharge box. The unpressed bar of soap thus fed under the die c is forced by the descent of the plunger C into the die box upon the die F, pressing the barof soap. The die c then rises, as does also the lower die F at the same time, as hereinbefore explained. The fezwly pressed bar of soap is thus raised betweengthe pressure bar K and the bar K3 where iti-isf held until forced into the discharge box M by the next forward movement of the feeding slide M2. Thus every revolution of thedriving shaft presses and discharges a bar or cake of soap into the discharge box M', each newly pressed bar or cake pushing the previously pressed bar ahead into the discharge box. A continuous line of pressed bars of soap is thus delivered into the discharge box, which may be received upon an endless belt and carried to wrapping tables,orto theboxingdepartmentas required, in any ordinary manner. The spring tension pressure bar K also serves to steady the delivery of an un pressed bar from the feeding slide exactly under the upperdie, as when going at a high rate of speed, without such a check, the unpressed bar would be liable to jump further than actually pushed by the feed bar. The spring tension on the pressure bar K however, effectually prevents such liability and holds the unpressed bar under the upper die exactly where it is delivered by the feed bar. The exact delivery of the feeding bar may be regulated in any suitable man ner, as by means of set screws R.

The machine is evidently of superior efeieney, while also its operation is simple and expeditious.

Normally the pressure bar K extends forward of the adjacent edge of the descending die c when in position to hold a cake of soap, but it is moved back out of the way when said die descends in any suitable manner. Thus upon the bell crank-lever D may be formed a stop or lug d2 which strikes against the bar K2 in the operation of the lever D, forcing the rod K and pressure bar K to reciprocate simultaneously with the action of the upper die.

I prefer to construct-the upper wedge P2 with lateral flanges shown in Fig. 7 at p and p', the wedge P fitted in between said ianges. By this construction,if the wedge P is removed too far, the flanges p 19' snpport the upper wedge in a horizontal position.

What I claim as my invention is l. In a soap pressing and stamping machine, the combination of a feeding box, a stationary feeding conduit, communicating with the base of said box, a discharge conduit or track, a die box located between the feeding conduit and the discharge conduit, upper and lower reciprocatory dies arranged to press the soap in the die box and to discharge it therefrom, and a reciprocating feeding slide located in the feeding conduit to feed the unpressed soap into the die box, substantially as set forth.

2. In a soap pressing and stamping machine, the combination of a die box, upper and lower reciprocatory dies arranged to press the soap in said die box and to lift the soap therefrom, a spring tension pressure bar, located at theupper end'ofl the die box,'and aA stationarybar located oppositeY the pressure bar substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In .a soap pressing and stamping marv chine, the combination of a' die box, reciprocatory dies, a feeding conduit and a discharge conduit, the discharge conduitsimultaneously movable with one of said dies, substantially as set forth. p

4. In a soap pressing and stamping machine, the combination of a die box, upper and lower reciprocatory dies, a feeding conduit and a discharging conduit, a feeding box and a feeding slide having a reciprocatory engagement in the feeding conduit, the feeding slide arranged to force an impressed bar of soap into the die box and to support the unpressed bar in the feeding box, the lower die dropping to lthe base of the die box before the upper die has reached its highest point, substantially as set forth.

5. In a soap pressing and stamping machine, the combination of a die box, a lower reciprocatory die and an upper reciprocatory die, a pressure bar located at the top of the die box, a spring tension lever K2, and a rod connecting the pressure bar with said lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a soap pressing and stamping machine, the combination of a die box, an upper reciprocatory die, a lower reciprocatorv die provided with a supporting rod, and slctted adjusting wedges P P2 at the base of the die box to control the pressure of the dies, substantially as set forth.

7. In a soap pressing and stamping machine, having in combination a die box, reciprocatory dies, a bell crank lever connected with the upper die, a cranked driving shaft to operate said lever, a shaft G driven from the driving shaft and` provided with a camdisk G2, and an oscillatory bar H, riding on the periphery of the cam-disk to operate the lower die, substantially as set forth.

8.l A soap pressing and stamping machine, having in combination a die box, reciprocatory dies, a driving shaft to operate the upper die, a shaft G, driven from the driving shaft and provided with a cam-disk G2, and an oscillatory bar H, riding on the periphery of the cam-disk to operate the lower die, the cam-disk constructed to gradually lift the bar on its periphery to raise the lower die and to instantly drop said bar to lower said die, the lower die being dropped to the base of the die box before the upper die has reached the limit of its upward stroke, substantially as set forth.

Si). In a soap pressing and stampingl machlne, the combination of a die box, upper and lower reciprocatory dies arranged to press the soap in said die box and lift the soap therefrom, per ends of the die box and a stationary bar IIO ISO

a pressure bar located at the uplocated opposite the pressure bar, said presslifted position ready to be discharged upon ro ure bar being simultaneously movable with the discharge conduit, substantially as set the upper die, substantially as set forth. forth.

10. In a soap pressing and stamping ma- 'In testimony whereof I sign this specifica 5 chine, the combination of a die box, upper tion in the presence of two Witnesses.

and lower reciprocatory dies, a feed box, a DAVID C. RALSTON. feed conduit, a recprooatory slide in said con- Wtnesses: duit, a movable discharge conduit, and a mov- N. S. WRIGHT,

able spring pressure bar to hold the soap in OTTO B. BARNZIGER. 

